Although we had a little setback last week with the blustery weather, signs of spring are becoming more noticeable.

This is especially true as temperatures climb up into the 40s, 50s and even 60s – as predicted for Friday and Saturday.

Area residents are getting out on bicycles and hiking more in lighter clothing, the amount of daylight is lengthening daily and flowers and buds on trees will be popping up.

Another sign of spring that will be popping up soon, as well, are “road construction ahead” signs, with annual road projects scheduled to begin in the next few weeks.

While many of the indicators of spring are welcomed with open arms, road work project sites are usually not greeted so cordially. Motorists tend to view them as an inconvenience and a traffic hazard they would rather do without, but they are a necessary aspect of summer in the Upper Peninsula.

With this in mind, drivers need to exercise additional caution while driving through construction zones – both for their own safety and that of the workers.

With the short construction season, which gears up around mid-May, the road projects are all bunched together, too, so they are often encountered regularly.

Motorists traveling in the area of these projects should remember to give themselves a little more time to reach their destinations, drive with extra caution and be satisfied knowing that when the projects are all wrapped up, we’ll have smoother and safer roads to travel on.